Ever since taking over for former head coach Brian Kelly in 2021, Marcus Freeman has seen incredible talent come through Notre Dame, including Pro Bowlers Kyle Hamilton and Joe Alt, as well as 2025 All-Rookie selection Xavier Watts. However, none of them compares to the way he speaks about superstar running back prospect Jeremiyah Love, who’s expected to go early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Marcus Freeman Sings Praises of Jeremiyah Love
During an interview on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Freeman gushed about Love and explained the things that make him special.
“Colin, he [Love] is a unicorn,” Freeman said. “He is as talented and gifted an athlete as I’ve ever been around, and I think he could be an elite wide receiver, he can be an elite defensive back. He’s just gifted with a unique skill set, the balance, the ability to jump over you, the ability to run through you.”
“Like, some of his most impressive runs aren’t the ones that you’re going to see on TV,” Freeman added. “It’s the ones that, as you’re watching film and go, ‘Oh my god, he made that play a four-yard gain, it should have been a two-yard loss,’ I mean, he’s just, he’s really special, and he’s a unique talent.”
Freeman is spot on about Love’s athleticism. He has the type of special ability that would give him the chance to excel at nearly every position on the field, as shown in his limited combine testing results.
Back in February, Love ran a 4.36 40-yard dash, along with a 10-yard split of 1.55 seconds – elite metrics for a 212-pound running back. For reference, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson ran a 4.46 at three pounds heavier, while Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran an identical time at 13 pounds lighter.
This ability helped Love accumulate 3,014 yards from scrimmage and 40 total touchdowns from 2024-2025, all while backup Jadarian Price still received a chunk of carries. Love’s production would propel Notre Dame to 10 straight victories, nearly carrying them into the College Football Playoffs.
He’d end up finishing 2025 with a grade of 92.4 according to PFSN’s CFB RB Impact Grades, placing him 4th in the nation among qualified running backs.
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Love’s Draft Projection
Being the supreme talent he is, Love is highly unlikely to fall out of the top seven picks. In PFSN’s latest 3-round mock draft, Jacob Infante had him landing at 7 to the Washington Commanders, though the Tennessee Titans at 4 have also been a common landing spot.
Regardless of where he goes, one franchise will be getting a floor-raising offensive playmaker that their quarterback can depend on.
